Students get LinkedIn to professional world

February 15, 2013

Networking, whether in person or online, is an important part of a student's job search. The Center for Career and Community Engagement helps students connect to both types of networking opportunities.

(c) Adam Bacher - All Rights Reserved

Preparing for a job search means much more than drafting a resume. Social media has become a central part of the equation, and experts suggest that a LinkedIn profile is now essential.

The Center for Career and Community Engagement (3CE) will host a webinar for students on Monday to demonstrate how to most effectively use LinkedIn, which now has a membership of more than 200 million people in countries all over the world.

“We are seeing an increase in recruiters using LinkedIn to fill positions,” said Minda Heyman, 3CE director and coordinator of the webinar. “This is great news for our students because LinkedIn is a more dynamic platform to present yourself and your experiences.”

Although this website can serve as a helpful stepping-stone into the professional world, Heyman believes strongly in the power and danger of the Internet.

“It’s important for students to understand how they will be viewed and evaluated in the professional world,” Heyman said. “The Internet has a long memory, so we want to help students be intentional about their online presence.”

“We know that 60 to 80 percent of jobs are found through networking strategies,” Heyman said. “We are very lucky to have dedicated alumni who want to help through the Lewis & Clark College Alumni Network (L&C Net), hosted on LinkedIn, so the workshop provides an introduction to a group of alumni ready to provide information, advising, and support to students and graduates too.”